Requital For An Agent
by Maddy Lake Deep
Summary: Sequel to 'Will You Be There' Jack is missing and Chloe will do anything to find him, even if it means risking her own life. AU. PostDay 3. JackChloe. Please R&R!
1. Reunited

**Title:** _Requital For An Agent_

**Author:** _Maddy Lake Deep_

**Character(s):** Jack, Chloe, Audrey and James Heller

**Rating:** PG-13 for violence, sexual themes and psychological abuse

**Category:** Angst, action/adventure and romance

**Summary:** Sequel to _'Will You Be There?'_ Jack is missing and Chloe will do anything to find him, even if it means risking her own life. AU. PostDay 3.

**Disclaimer:** No, the characters of _24 _do not belong to me…though I wish I owned Jack and Chloe. Only Elizabeth Dawson is my creation.

**Author's note:** _To those who enjoyed 'Will You Be There?' Again, I'm very thankful for your interest in that story. At first, I didn't have a sequel in mind until writing the last chapter, which shows you how the muse wants to have its way at times. I hope you enjoy this story, too, and please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome._

**Chapter one:** _Reunited_

A lit cigarette lay in a glass ashtray, waiting to be picked up again. It wasn't alone. There beside it were numerous photos dispersed on the coffee table.

She sat on the imitation leather sofa, and as the woman leaned forward, her curly reddish-brown hair followed, falling onto her shoulders. She looked around at the house that was not at all eloquent—a rather decrepit place that should have been demolished. Chips of old paint peeled off the walls. The living room was so tiny, even smaller than what you would find in a one bedroom apartment. Stairs led up to the bedroom and beneath the staircase lay a cellar door. A sensuous beat of erotic music resonated softly in the atmosphere. The condition of the house was of no concern to her. All she cared about was finding something quick.

Her hazel eyes skirted down to the pictures. Most of them were of Jack Bauer she had secretly taken. Some were of him and Chloe. Her lanky fingers picked up the cigarette. She took one long, deep puff while staring at Jack and Chloe embracing outside his house, and then the smoke slowly rolled out from her full lips.

* * *

Indecision…and Chloe despised it. Since last week when Jack had gone to DC, she would get numerous calls from Mike's number. It made absolutely no logical sense. He's dead and buried. Whoever it was had called during the day and sometimes at night, startling Chloe out of her sleep. She answered, hearing only a cold, eerie silence that sent chills biting through flesh and bone. One night she stayed awake with the light on. And despite the doors and windows locked securely, Chloe flinched at any slight noise from outside. She often asked herself why she didn't tell Jack about the calls when he had spoken to her on the phone a few days ago. O'Brian knew why, not wanting to burden him with anymore of her problems, especially since he was busy working for Heller now.

"_Mike's dead,"_ She said to herself. _"Jack made sure of that."_ And then her mind raced to another thought. _"But who's calling me on his cell? Maybe it's just some nut that has his phone. Should I tell Jack? What should I do?"_

Chloe sank her head down into the pillow. Staring at the ceiling, she let out a deep, flustered sigh. The calls weren't the only thing that had been frustrating. She missed Jack terribly—recalling the way he kissed her, hard and passionate, and when they held each other. She tried to focus on something else; her job at CTU, anything but Jack. It was useless. He only crept back into her mind, into her life. Again she rambled on silently. _"Jack, I hope you don't forget about me."_ Chloe had known why she said that…

Audrey.

Since he was working for Heller, that meant he was in close contact with Audrey. She felt silly thinking such things, but on the other hand she worried about their friendship. Afraid to go to sleep, she resisted it as much as she could but sleep finally had its way. She had had enough of the fear; and before shutting her eyes, her last thoughts were finding this person who had Mike's phone.

During the day at CTU, that was the only time Chloe had a break from whoever was calling her. Well, that added to her frustration because if the person called, she thought about tricking him into a conversation and then trace the call, which told her that this person was no idiot. Every now and again, Chloe peeked up from her computer and glanced angrily at Erin Driscoll sitting inside her office upstairs. She noted Driscoll stared back at her and knew what was coming next.

Chloe's phone chimed twice and she quickly answered it before the third ring. "O'Brian."

"Chloe," she heard Driscoll say in a frigid tone on the other end. "I need to see you. It's very important."

Chloe huffed and slammed the receiver back into its cradle. Getting up from the desk and heading toward the stairs, she also noticed stares from two new people—Sarah Gavin sitting at her desk and Agent Curtis Manning who breezed past Chloe. It seemed every time you slammed a phone down in CTU (especially if it was Chloe O'Brian), to the other agents and computer techies, something had to be wrong. Irritated, Chloe rolled her eyes (not at anyone in particular) and continued up the stairs to Driscoll's office. She yanked the door open, walked inside and hesitated in front of Erin's desk.

Erin Driscoll, clad in a dark pinstriped suit, straightened in the chair and gave Chloe a stern glance. "Are you happy working here?"

"What?"

"You heard me. I shouldn't have to repeat myself."

"I don't have a problem working here," Chloe replied bluntly.

"No. You don't have a problem working here, but you have a problem with me."

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Erin rose from her desk and stood in front of Chloe. "I'm not blind. I can see you're upset."

"Upset about what?"

Tired of the 'I-don't-know-what's-going-on' games, Erin raised her voice. "Jack Bauer."

"Jack?"

"Chloe, stop the charade. I know you and Jack are close friends and ever since I had to let him go, you've been acting distant, especially with me. So why don't you just say what's on your mind."

Chloe decided to do just that and at the moment, it didn't matter what Erin had thought of her. "I don't think it was fair to let him go."

"He was no longer fit to run CTU. You know the reason. I don't have to explain it."

"But after everything he's done--,"

Erin held up her hand, halting Chloe's defense of Jack. "Chloe, Jack is one of the best agents we have, but…I had to let him go. It wasn't only my decision. Did he tell you he wanted to leave?"

Chloe frowned at that unexpected comment. "No."

"He agreed that it was time for him to move on."

The frown remained etched onto Chloe's face. She didn't believe Jack would agree with Erin but at the same time, she knew about Jack's nightmares. It's possible he had grown weary of the job, what it had done to him and what it was still doing.

Driscoll went on. "Chloe, it's unfortunate we had to let him go but just like he moved on, you have to do the same—if you want to continue to work here."

Chloe nodded and then she said, "Is there anything else?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure there aren't anymore problems between us."

"Everything's fine." Chloe tried to make it sound genuine. It didn't work when noting Erin's unconvinced expression. _"Whatever,"_ Chloe said silently, feeling like no matter what she said, Erin doubted her. She then voiced aloud, "I have to get back to work." O'Brian rushed out and before she returned to her desk, she halted at the top of the stairs. Close friends Erin had said. Their relationship had grown more than just close friends. _"If you only knew,"_ she thought. _"If anyone knew."_

* * *

Sherbet colors of orange, crimson and lavender twilight had left its brilliance across the sky. Chloe, after parking her car, sauntered toward her house when another melodious ring of the cell phone halted O'Brian in her steps. Chloe's heart drummed, fearing the caller again. She had to found out who it could be and grasped the phone out of her pocketbook. It wasn't Mike's number. Chloe shrugged her fears aside for the moment and answered it. "Jack," she said in a relieved tone.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just exhausted." She opened the door and after shutting it, Chloe ventured inside the foyer.

"I miss you," Jack told her softly.

Chloe stopped again. She swallowed hard, trying to stay composed, though that had been tough when hearing his voice; wanting to be with him. "I miss you, too."

There was a brief pause and then Chloe heard him—a faint chuckle or rather a contented smile she knew all too well. Jack went on. "Secretary Heller is having a birthday party this weekend and…you're invited."

"Me? Jack, I don't know. I have to find something to wear and--,"

"Chloe," he cut in, sensing her uneasiness about such things like parties. "You'll be fine and I want you to be there. I miss you so much."

O'Brian smiled, loving him more when he made her feel special. It's true she was like a prodigy when it came to computers, often ridiculed in school as the computer geek who had no social life. Sometimes she wondered how she met Mike in a diner. They were walking in at the same time and he let her go inside first. They somehow ended up having lunch together. Mike told her his life story of being a struggling artist until he had numerous successes with paintings that were accepted in not only L.A. galleries but also in New York City. Chloe still cringed at the thought of him; his love she hoped had been the real thing turned out to be a sick obsession. It obviously wasn't meant to be. All along it had been Jack, though doubt still crept in her mind even about their relationship. Still, she wanted to be with him and going to DC, at least Chloe would feel safe from the caller—something she had to eventually tell Jack.

"Chloe?" Jack startled her back into the conversation. "Are you there?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about something--," she hesitated, sighed and added, "Okay, I'll be there."

When arriving in DC, Jack made sure Chloe stayed at one of the finest hotels. Inside the lobby, red tapestry carpeting had given the hotel an elegant touch; four tiered chandeliers greeted the guests, boasting their brilliance. She had been very impressed with her room—a plush duplex suite. At the moment Chloe was upstairs, staring at her reflection in the mirror as if surprised. Well, it had taken her mind a while before it fully processed who was staring back at her—Chloe O'Brian who hardly ever wore dresses, especially not like the silky lilac one with long sleeves (she was still uncomfortable about the scars on her arm) and low cut enough to see a glimpse of cleavage. It draped down, halting a few inches above her knees. Below were high heeled pale lilac shoes and when Chloe looked up at her face, She had worn more make up than usual, not too much but just right for a Friday evening party. Her hair fell smoothly onto her shoulders in loose waves.

Thinking to herself, she said, _"That's me?"_

And a silent voice answered, _"Yes, Chloe, it's really you."_

She rolled her hands into tight pale fists while thinking about meeting Secretary Heller, his friends and especially…Audrey Raines.

"_I'll be okay, I'll be okay, I'll be okay,"_ was the mantra Chloe repeated to herself and then she knew it had been time to go. The Chauffeur was waiting downstairs.

* * *

He hadn't been unaware of the glances sneaking his way, particularly women. Jack weaved handsomely through the crowd in a dark suit and tie. Every now and again he stopped to mingle with numerous people inside the parlor of James Heller's elaborate home.

"Excuse me," Jack heard Heller say behind him and then he turned to face the Secretary. Bauer smiled pleasantly. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, Jack," Heller replied with one of his wide grins. "Glad you can be here. Someone else is, too."

Jack's gaze fleeted to Audrey standing by the French doors. She held a flute glass of red wine in her right hand and when catching his gaze, she quickly looked away. That was another thing he had been aware of, her attraction to him. And though he admired Audrey and their friendship, there was someone else he could not forget…Chloe. "Excuse me, sir," he told Heller and crossed over to where Audrey stood, beautifully clad in a strapless burgundy gown. He closed the space between them and greeted her with a warm smile. "Hi, Audrey."

She smiled back, unable to hide the obvious—Audrey was happy to see him. "Hi, Jack. Being here at my Dad's party, it means a lot to him."

Bauer could only offer another smile, feeling rather uneasy, he pondered about her statement. Of course Jack had known Heller greatly appreciated him being there and working for him, but he also got the innate feeling that she wanted to say it meant a lot to her as well.

Audrey asked, "Is your friend coming?"

"Chloe?" He peered around the crowd. "Yeah, she should be here soon."

Audrey sipped some wine. She then added, "I know you're close friends and--," she faltered, wanting to say more. Instead Audrey met his gaze with disappointment.

"Audrey," said Jack softly, wanting to gently tell her his relationship with Chloe meant more than only friends. She had already known but he needed to say it. And just as Bauer was about to tell her, he noticed Chloe walking inside; her eyes nervously scanning for Jack in the crowd. His face immediately lit up and he marveled at how beautiful she looked. "Excuse me," he told Audrey and quickly snaked his way through the crowd until he found her. "Chloe!"

She beamed along with a relieved expression at the sight of him. Grinning, she said, "Jack!"

He longed to hold Chloe again and cradled her into his arms. She shut her eyes, for the moment, lost in his embrace; the scent of him; all that was Jack Bauer. When Chloe opened her eyes, she glimpsed Audrey staring at them not far from where they embraced. O'Brian suddenly felt uncomfortable and slightly pulled away from his hug.

"You look beautiful," he barely uttered, more like a sensual whisper and then Jack raised his voice a notch higher. "I was hoping you'd come." His fingers lightly touched her hand. "I know I've told you on the phone but I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." Chloe wanted to touch his lips, kiss them; taste him again. Jarred out of the moment by his fingers tightening their grasp on her hand, he said to her,

"Come on, I want you to meet Secretary Heller."

Never fond of parties, mostly because of her awkward social interaction with people, Chloe managed to stay calm and chatted with Heller, though she wondered if he picked up on any clues that inwardly she was a nervous wreck. He then introduced her to several more people and another person she hadn't looked forward to meeting.

"Audrey, I'd like you to meet Chloe."

"It's nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand to shake Chloe's own.

"Nice meeting you, too," Chloe replied awkwardly and uneasy. She had a higher than usual perception of people and nothing could get by O'Brian, not even Audrey's strained smile.

"Jack has told me a lot about you. It must be tough…what you do at CTU."

"Working with computers? Yeah, sometimes it can be hectic but--,"

"Oh? I'm sorry. I thought you were an agent?"

Chloe's eyes shifted awkwardly and irritably at Jack. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Excuse us," said Jack, now regretting introducing them and bracing himself for the inevitable discussion. He led her into the foyer where they could be alone.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Didn't you tell her I work with computers and I'm not an agent?"

"Yes I did but with everything going on, she probably forgot. I don't think she meant any harm--,"

Chloe huffed, tightening her lips. Jack tilted his head toward her and continued. "You think Audrey wanted to embarrass you?"

"Well, it seemed that way."

"Audrey isn't like that at all."

"I'm not feeling well. I don't know; it must have been something I ate."

Jack sighed and then he said, "Okay, I'll take you back to the hotel."

"You don't need to do that. It's Secretary Heller's party. You just can't leave and--,"

"Yes I can and I'm taking you back to the hotel."

Chloe waited while he explained to Heller and Audrey why he had to leave. She then watched him come back into the foyer and then they left the mansion. Once they were inside Jack's black Lexus, while he drove, there had been an icy silence…or was it cold? Chloe noticed he seemed perturbed by her silence, as if she wasn't actually angry at him but rather troubled.

Jack peeked at her and asked, "How are you feeling now?"

Chloe smirked. "You didn't believe me?"

"I knew you were uncomfortable and wanted to leave."

"Okay, I lied," Chloe snapped, "and yeah, I wanted to leave."

Jack stopped the car on a dark, isolated road. He stared at her silently.

Puzzled, Chloe frowned. "What?"

Jack could not stifle the smile that had bewildered her even more.

"It's not funny," she snapped again. "You know I don't like parties."

"Chloe, I know that. I'm just happy to see you and I understand why you wanted to leave." He cupped her face in his hands and as his lips slowly neared hers, she pulled back, smiling teasingly. Chloe knew it excited him—those little games she liked to play. And when she had done that, he kissed her harder. She listened to his breathing as it got deeper. A soft moan escaped her lips. O'Brian wanted to undress him. And when they both realized it was getting out of hand (like what had happened inside her apartment), Jack halted his kiss and laid his face onto her cleavage.

"I love you," he whispered.

Chloe played with a few strands of his hair. "I—I love you, too."

Jack sat up with a concerned expression. "Something's wrong."

Chloe could not keep silent about it anymore, berating herself for waiting too long as it was. "The day you left, I was getting calls."

"Calls? From who?"

"It sounds crazy but…it is crazy. It doesn't make sense."

"Chloe, what's going on?"

"I've been getting calls from Mike's cell.

"What?"

"I didn't want to tell you because, well, I feel like I'm always interfering with what you have to do. It was important for you to go to DC and--,"

"Chloe…all this time we talked on the phone and you kept this from me?"

"Mike's dead," Chloe said. "There's no way it can be him. But when I get the calls, it's always this creepy silence."

"I know he's dead. Whoever it is obviously wants to scare you." Frustrated and angry, Jack's head fell back against the seat. "Ever since that happened, I always want to make sure you're okay. I don't care where I am or what I have to do; I need you to be honest with me."

Chloe gave him her usual frown and said, "I'm sorry, Jack. You're right, I should've told you. Whoever it is, I was hoping I would get a call at CTU and trace it from there but no luck." She quickly added, "I know you're upset."

Jack lifted his head from the seat and looked at her. "Chloe, yes I'm upset but that's because I don't want anything else to happen to you. I almost lost you once and if someone else is trying to hurt you, I can't let that happen."

She nodded gravely.

"I'll find out who is it. Right now I have to get you back to the hotel."

Jack started the vehicle again and while driving, suddenly came the sound of gunfire and an explosion of one of the tires.

"Damnit!" yelled Jack.

Chloe gasped and gripped the door arm as the car swerved in and out of the lane. She prayed there was no other vehicle on the road but even as Jack tried hard to keep the car steady, it had been too dark to see where they were headed. The next thing she knew, it veered off the road, slammed against something and everything faded to pitch darkness.

Chloe slowly and painfully opened her eyes. She stirred and flinched at the throbbing pain on the right side of her head. What felt like liquid trailed down her cheek and when she touched it, she saw fresh blood in the pale moonlight. Chloe witnessed something else—the front of the car smashed against a tree. Disoriented, she looked at the driver's seat, expecting to see Jack but he was gone. Despite the pain, Chloe managed to shove open the door and stumbled out onto dirt and pebbles.

"Jack?" she called.

Nothing. The only sound heard were crickets, then reality sunk in. She was alone. Jack disappeared. Overwhelmed with fear, pain and bewilderment, Chloe cried out, "Jack!"

**TBC**


	2. Hostage

**A/N:** _Everyone, thank you so much for your reviews and YellowTang, thank you! I'm very flattered you enjoyed 'Will You Be There?' and this story. Sorry it took me a while with the updates. I usually update quicker but lately I've been very tired. And so I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think. I always love feedback! It keeps me writing!_

* * *

**Chapter two:** _Hostage_

Jack's eyes fluttered open. At the moment, he could barely see the floor as his head hung down. He wasn't in total darkness. A small dim-lit bulb dangled above. He shivered at the dank atmosphere around him and an odor of something long decayed stung his nostrils. From the searing pain of Jack's injured right arm (which he assumed had been broken) and the rancid odor, he wasn't sure how long he could keep himself from losing the dinner he had earlier.

_"Where the hell am I?"_

Jack as he emerged more and more out of unconsciousness had noticed his hands were handcuffed behind a chair. His ankles shackled together at the bottom. He shifted a little and the pain like furious waves bolted through his arm. Jack winced, gritting his teeth. And it seemed every part of his body had been drenched in a hot sweat. He also noted his gun had been hijacked along with the suit jacket, leaving behind Jack's charcoal-gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The room, no longer a mystery to his eyes. He could see it clearly now: a small cellar with brick walls surrounding him. Beside him sat a round table, and to the far left were stairs that led to a door.

"Jack, are you awake?" he heard a raspy female voice call to him on the other side.

Bauer peeked up at the door and grimaced. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

Hearing only silence, he added, "Where's Chloe?"

"She's not here. It's only you and me, Jack."

His eyes squinted during the process of thinking. The voice hadn't sounded familiar. Jack knew he had numerous enemies and it irritated him even more to be bound in handcuffs and leather cuffs at the ankles by someone he tried desperately to recall. And Chloe, what happened to her?

"You're lying," Jack repeated. His voice boomed around the room. "Where's Chloe?"

The voice came again…calm, sensual. "I'm not lying, Jack. Don't worry about Chloe. She's safe."

The door clicked open and Jack watched in eager anticipation of who teased him. She stepped out of the darkness and stopped beneath a dangling bulb. Her right hand held onto to what looked like a small, brown leather case. Bauer looked up at the tall woman in a scarlet blouse and denim jeans rolled up into cuffs at the knees. She smiled at him—a baleful smile that sent an eerie chill along his exposed arms. But it wasn't only the smile and her gaunt face so pale she appeared like a vampire coming in for her nightly feeding. Something about her hazel eyes, cold and bitter. They looked familiar to him, leaving Jack in mental agony as to who this woman was.

"Who are you?" he asked again, wincing every now and again from the pain.

She leaned forward, bowing her head and making sure he held her attention as she stared boldly into his eyes. "I'm Elizabeth, Liz, Lizzie; whatever you prefer."

Hot trails of sweat trickled down his forehead and onto his face. There was nothing he could do to wipe it and Jack panted as he struggled with the pain that relentlessly assaulted him. Not wanting to say her name no matter the choice of Elizabeth, Liz, Lizzie or even Beth, he wet his parched lips and growled, "What do you want?"

"No, Jack, what do you want?" Lizzie knelt beside him, grasping his left arm. She slowly, teasingly traced her fingers along protruding veins and needle marks quite noticeable on the inside of Jack's arm. "I know what you'd do," came Lizzie's voice in another sensuous whisper, "when you're in pain. Your other arm is broken and I know you wish you had something to make it feel better…don't you, Jack?"

Bauer stubbornly refused to answer. He preferred not looking at her either, keeping his eyes locked on the brick wall ahead.

Lizzie stood and walked in a semi-circle to the table. "What is it?" she said while opening the leather case. Inside were a few vials, a needle and tourniquet. "Morphine?" She eyed him shrewdly. "Or heroin?" As Lizzie turned back to the case, her curly auburn hair followed. "It's heroin." She picked up a thin needle and inserted it inside one of the vials. "See, I know what you want." When the syringe was full, she picked up the tourniquet.

Jack fidgeted in the chair as she approached him with the tourniquet. He never expected to be in a helpless situation like this, forced to take a drug that he tried so hard to avoid—an enemy Jack wanted desperately to forget. But when Lizzie tied the tourniquet around his left arm and jabbed the needle into a thick vein ready to receive it, it had become his friend again. It hadn't taken long before the pain ebbed from his arm, as if the injury and the accident had been only a nightmare. Useless to fight what made him temporarily forget everything—a soothing calm and peace that encompassed his entire being. Although Jack still felt enraged at Lizzie, physically and emotionally he found himself too numb to think of what he could possibly do to get out. Bauer's head fell back against the chair. The ex-CTU agent barely conscious of his surroundings, of Lizzie standing over him; as if she and everything else became suddenly lost in a dense fog, and yet he could still see her through half-closed eyes.

Lizzie smiled. "Now, don't you feel better? I can take care of you, Jack…that's if you behave."

She shut the case, gave him another smile as if ecstatic to have him inside her cellar, bound and under her control. Jack watched her leave, locking the door. So many questions he had were dulled and no longer able to stay conscious, Jack shut his eyes.

* * *

"You don't remember anything else?"

Sitting on the edge of the driver's seat inside Jack's car, she irritably glanced at the state trooper. His pudgy face illuminated by numerous red flares lit near the accident area. "I told you, I blacked out," and she added abrasively, "You see the bruise on my forehead?"

"Yes, Ms. O'Brian, I see the bruise. We just wanted to make sure if there's anything else you could possibly remember."

Chloe shivered and crossed tense arms across her chest. "All I know is what I've already told you. Someone shot at one of the tires. The car hit the tree and when I woke up, Jack was gone."

Two vehicles, what looked like small black limos screeched and halted in back of several police cars. Chloe surmised who it was. She knew once the police had alerted them, it wouldn't be long before they came. Secret Service agents exited from their limo. Then more agents along with Secretary Heller and Audrey stepped out of their car. They hurried toward Chloe.

"Are you all right?" asked Heller.

Chloe nodded.

Wrapping the silk burgundy shawl around her shoulders, Audrey said, "Do you have any idea of who would do something like this?"

Frustrated at the same constant questions, Chloe rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. "No." Suddenly Chloe's lips fell and her face had gone chalk-white. Everything going on, it didn't hit her then, but now…the caller. _"Is it possible this person kidnapped Jack?"_ she pondered to herself. _"But how would he know we were here unless…is it possible he bugged my house? Who are you? Who are you!"_

"Chloe?"

Heller's voice jolted her back to where she desperately wanted to escape. Tired of sitting in a demolished car; of the unfriendly chill in the air, and the torment of not knowing where Jack was. She looked up into Heller's face, noting his concern and at the same time, confusion and doubt. Chloe knew it was because of her expression from the sudden recall.

He told her, "Are you sure you don't know anything else?"

She lied. "No." Her eyes skirted to Audrey who stared at her doubtfully. Instead of rolling her eyes, Chloe huffed inwardly in response to Audrey's expression. She then ignored her and said to Heller, "I'm afraid whoever this is--," O'Brian stopped and shivered.

"Don't worry," Heller assured Chloe and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll find him." He paused and studied the ruddy bruise and a deep cut above her right eye. "You should get that checked out."

"I'm okay."

"I insist," he said sternly but not callous, rather like a concerned father. "I'll have my security take you to the ER and then back to the hotel."

Chloe nodded again. She willingly rose from the seat; Heller by her side and guiding her toward the Secret Service vehicle. Again he assured her. "Everything will be all right."

One of the agents opened the car door and she lowered herself inside. Another one sat next to her and two seated themselves in the front. As the limo slowly veered away, Chloe sneaked one more glance at Jack's Lexus. Heller's voice came back in memory…

"**_Everything will be all right."_**

She wanted to believe it, shutting her eyes to keep the stinging tears from pushing their way through the corners. And in the process of doing that, her injury throbbed again. Jack almost lost her and it frightened her greatly to think something terrible had happened to him. Chloe knew he always managed to get himself out of the most dangerous situations, like a cat with nine lives. And yet her stomach felt tight with anxiety and fear.

"_**We'll find him."**_

Chloe had been certain Heller would do everything in his power to find Jack. But Chloe refused to wait. Whoever this person is, they have Mike's cell phone. O'Brian's gut told her it's someone who knew Mike—someone who knew Jack had killed him.

* * *

Bauer groggily opened his eyes. It was as if someone forced his head down but despite the heavy-weight feeling, he managed to lift his head from the back of the seat. The room was like a merry-go-round. He had enough, wanting to step off and when he had done so, the room stopped spinning. The pain had mercy on him for the moment. Jack anticipated its fury again, though it had been a blur as to why it was injured. He gingerly turned his head to the left where Lizzie sat in a chair against the wall. She crossed her legs. A low-heeled red shoe dangled from her foot. She watched him with a hatred he had seen before…in Nina and so many other faces that plagued him day and night.

"_Who are you?"_

Every now and again she puffed on a cigarette; nonchalantly, Lizzie let the smoke roll from her glossy lips. She then smothered the cigarette into an ashtray, picked up a glass of water and walked toward Jack. "Thirsty?"

He stubbornly kept silent but when Lizzie put the rim of the glass against his parched lips, he sipped some of the liquid. "Good," she said with a smile and placed the glass on the table beside him.

Disoriented, Jack mumbled, "What day is it?"

"It's Saturday morning," she paused to look at her watch. "Ten o'clock."

"Saturday--," his voice trailed off and then Jack recalled the gunfire, the accident…waking up in the cellar with a broken arm. Chloe. She must be worried sick about his disappearance. Jack had to get out…somehow. Angrily he said, "I have to use the bathroom."

Lizzie turned back to other table against the wall and picked up a bed pan.

He smirked. "You gotta be kidding me?"

"I can't let you use the bathroom. Don't worry, I was a nurse and I promise to take care of you if you behave. I'll take off the handcuffs and wait outside by the door. It'll be open just enough for me to see and if you try anything, I won't hesitate to shoot."

As she was about to take off the cuffs, Jack gritted his teeth. "Don't touch me."

She looked at him, hesitating in thought. Her eyes narrowed. "You don't need to use the bathroom." Lizzie marched back to the table and grabbed something else—a gun. She spun around and the next thing Jack knew, he felt cold metal digging into the side of his left temple. "You're misbehaving Jack. I can't allow that or else I'll kill you right now. No tricks and I'll keep you alive; give you heroin and everything else you want."

Jack wondered how she had known about his heroin addiction. That was kept discreetly secret except from Chloe and everyone else at CTU.

"Who the hell are you?" He demanded.

Lizzie removed the gun away from his head and when she placed it back on the table, she picked up the chair and sat in front of Jack. She leaned forward with elbows perched on her knees and hands locked together. "I had a twin brother. We were close y'know, like twins are. Our family and friends thought we were too close because, well, I hated when he dated women. He promised that wouldn't happen and we'll always be together. He lied. I remember meeting her and I knew she'd be trouble for him. He told me she was hurting him and I told him what to do."

Jack's eyes widened. It all made sense now…why she looked so familiar. "Mike? He was your brother?"

Lizzie straightened in the chair. Her face lit up and she grinned, a deviant grin that was eerily disturbing. "Yes, Michael Dawson," she answered sardonically. "Remember that day?" Her grin suddenly faded. "You killed him."

"He would've killed Chloe if I didn't stop him."

"She--," Lizzie shouted; her pale face marred with bitterness. Her frigid eyes wide with hate. "She hurt him. She lied to him and deserved to die." Lizzie leaned closer and her voice was now a notch lower, almost a whisper. "He told me she didn't love him. There was someone else. I know that someone else is you, Jack. Well--," she grinned again. "Now I have you."

Enraged, Jack fidgeted in the chair and winced at the pain revisiting his arm.

"It hurts? Aww, it's okay, Jack. I'll make sure you're feeling better again. This time I'll give you more."

Jack eyed her hatefully and rolled his hands into clenched fists. "Hmm," she added, "I wonder what Chloe would think if she knew you're here with me. I can find out."

"I thought you said she wasn't here?"

"She's not."

* * *

Chloe ordered breakfast inside her hotel room. On top the wooden bed tray was a plate boasting the special of the day: a stack of half-eaten buttermilk pancakes and sausages. Chloe had been too worried about Jack to finish the rest. With a lilac satin robe wrapped around her naked form, she frantically paced the room, biting her lip and thinking. O'Brian suddenly froze at the hasty ringing of her cell phone. She snatched it from off the desk, flipped open the silver cover and answered, "Hello?"

Silence.

Agitated by the caller again, she yelled, "Hello!"

"I know you're worried about Jack," said a gruff male voice.

"Who is this?"

"He's safe and I'll let you see him. 622 Cambridge Road."

Before Chloe could utter another word, the conversation had been cut, leaving her with an open mouth and furrowed eyebrows. At first she thought of letting Heller know where Jack was but O'Brian decided she would go alone. She had to be there, even if it seemed unclear as to whether the caller was serious or taunting her with lies.

It hadn't taken her long to slip into a pair of gray trousers and a pink/gray floral cardigan. She had no time to mess with her hair, which had been brushed back into a messy ponytail. Chloe sat nervously inside the cab. Her eyes rolled irritably from the window to the middle-aged driver who rambled on about his life and other stuff she had absolutely no interest in hearing. She wished for a quiet driver or if it was someone talkative, he would at least know when to shut up when a passenger didn't respond much.

"The society today," the driver hesitated and shook his head flecked with gray. "It's sick. People are just…sick! They have no regard for life anymore. Yesterday morning, a homeless man was found with his head decapitated and I heard parts of his body were eaten. Whoever this whacko is, the police think it's one of those people, uh…cannibals, that's it."

Chloe huffed. That was the last thing she wanted to hear while headed to a place where Jack was supposedly kidnapped, not knowing if the situation had been a dangerous one. She didn't even have a weapon.

"_Am I doing the right thing? Maybe I should've told Heller."_ Chloe snorted and silently added in frustration, _"Jack."_

"Miss, are you all right?" asked the driver. "I hope I'm not scaring you back there."

"I'm okay," Chloe replied quickly and went on to say, "Are we near the address?"

"Yeah, it's only two more blocks."

Chloe peered through the window again and noticed the area appeared run down and depressing compared to where she was staying at the hotel. She noted something else—a few people walking down the streets. Hopeless, exhausted faces, as if they struggled each day to stay alive amidst poverty. The cab's tires rolled to a slow halt.

"This is it?" said Chloe at an old, dingy house in the middle of the block.

"You told me 622 Cambridge Road, right?"

She nodded.

"Then this is it."

After Chloe paid the driver, she rushed out, relieved to be away from him but when she stood there looking at the small house, O'Brian felt her stomach tighten again. Chloe couldn't go back now. If Jack was inside, she wanted to know, even if it meant possible danger for her. Chloe pushed the wrought-iron gate and as it swung open, she proceeded down a short walkway. On both sides lay untidy grass and she stopped at three brick steps leading to a screen door. She clambered the steps, cautiously and quietly. Opening the screen door that creaked, Chloe reached for the doorbell and her hand stopped mid-way. The grimy white door had been left ajar, as if anticipating her arrival. By then, Chloe's heart pummeled hard and she wet her dry lips.

O'Brian pushed the door open. There was no foyer. She already found herself inside the tiny cluttered living room. "Hello?" Chloe didn't like this at all—the same eerie silence on the phone. She shuddered. Her eyes darted to the staircase and beneath it, what looked like a cellar door. Chloe took in another deep breath then proceeded again. Gingerly, her fingers twined themselves around the knob. It creaked louder than the screen door and when it had been wide open, Chloe barely noticed the steps inside the dim-lit cellar, but the dank odor hadn't gone unnoticed from her nostrils and a chill that pierced through her clothes and skin. Careful, she held onto the railing and eased down each step. When reaching the bottom, her eyes were wide with shock at what she saw—Jack spotlighted under the bulb; handcuffed and shackled to the chair. His head down. Terrified, she didn't know if he was dead or alive.

"Jack!" Chloe knelt in front of him and gently raised his sweaty face. He opened his eyes but it seemed Bauer struggled to keep them open. "Jack, oh God!"

"Chloe?" he muttered groggily. "Get—get out."

"No, I won't leave you here."

Alarmed, he repeated, "Chloe!"

Chloe hadn't been given the opportunity to say another word to Jack, but only a scream bellowed from her lungs when something stung the back of her neck. Whatever it was hit her system immediately. The dim light and Jack disappeared. Darkness had taken her again.

**TBC**


	3. Cacophony

**A/N:** _Sorry it took me a while to update. I haven't been feeling well again and because of exhaustion, I struggled with this chapter but I managed to finish it. Hope it doesn't seem rushed and if it does, again I apologize. I need a break after this but I will write more J/C stories in the future. Another thing, I have to add a warning in this chapter. I did mention the PG-13 rating for violence, sexual situations and psychological abuse. This chapter is very heavy with angst and disturbing content. Some people aren't comfortable and if you're not, that's ok. Alright, enough of my rambling and here's the final chapter. Again, thank you for your wonderful reviews and encouragement to keep writing. I appreciate it very, very much!_

* * *

**Chapter three:** _Cacophony_

Chloe blinked, slowly at first and then her eyes fluttered in confusion at what had transpired. Her memory awakened; the sting on back of her neck. It had to be some kind of drug because whatever the person injected into her system, she could barely move. O'Brian wanted to touch the area but when she attempted her hands were also handcuffed behind her back. Semi-conscious, Chloe managed to decipher where she was, lying on her left side on a tattered paisley couch inside a small bedroom? No, it was an attic and above, triangular wooden beams that would snap in a second if there had been a torrential rainstorm. To the right, she saw a small window (which most likely had been locked) and peeking inside were splinters of crimson, what remained of the evening sun held on as long as it could, touching her face with its warmth.

The sofa she laid upon, a velvety blood-red Victorian chair nearby and a coffee table were the only furniture Chloe noted unless she missed something, which was possible considering her drugged condition. Her mouth was so dry it felt like she had been lost in the desert for days. She desperately needed water and mustered what little strength she had to push herself up. Grunting, she pushed more until sitting upright. Lightheaded and nauseous, Chloe fell back onto her side. She panted not only from the effort of sitting up and feeling like crap, but out of frustration of having her pocketbook stolen. No cell phone to contact Heller now that she was also a prisoner. Chloe thought about CTU. Who could she trust to help her get Jack out of this situation, which is the reason why she didn't bother to tell anyone. The only person was Tony, and he was in jail. She missed him and wished he was there to help. She mentally shook herself…

"_Okay, I'm here now. I can't waste time thinking of what I should've done. I have to try and think of a way to get us out of here."_

She flinched at a clicking sound…the door. It opened from behind. Chloe's facial muscles and every other muscle in her body tightened. For those moments when hearing footsteps approaching, she dared not breathe. O'Brian wondered what he looked like and now that the person stood in front of her, she looked up, stunned and bewildered.

"Lizzie?" she said drowsily.

"Hey, Chloe," Lizzie answered with a smile that appeared phony rather than genuine. "It's good to see you again," she hesitated, holding up a small tape recorder. "But I'm sorry we're seeing each other like this."

Chloe made another effort, this time to speak loudly despite feeling woozy. "What's going on? Why did you kidnap Jack and now me--," She halted, eyes wide, as if slapped hard by what she suddenly realized. "Mike. You kidnapped us because of him. It was you calling me!"

Lizzie's lopsided smile remained etched onto her face while she pressed the tape recorder button. Chloe listened.

"_I know you're worried about Jack. He's safe and I'll let you see him. 622 Cambridge Road."_

Lizzie cut the conversation with a click of the button. At that, Chloe added, "You tricked me into thinking it was a man. Who is he?"

"Oh, just someone I found on the street," Lizzie explained apathetically. "A homeless man; he was very helpful after I gave him something to eat."

Chloe shuddered, recalling what the cab driver said about a homeless man found decapitated and partially eaten. "You—killed him."

"What do you care?" Lizzie spat. "He was nothing!"

Chloe swallowed hard; fighting to keep her stomach contents down, she breathed deeply.

Lizzie grabbed Chloe's hair. Her eyes blazed. "You didn't care about my brother. You lied to him, sneaking behind his back and seeing someone else. Mike told me who it was…Jack Bauer, and you let him kill my brother!"

"I wasn't with Jack or anyone. I ended the relationship with Mike because I had enough of him slapping me around!"

"Because you weren't behaving, that's why he _slapped _you around!" Lizzie shoved Chloe's head back onto the sofa. After composing herself, she went on to say, "I better see how Jack is doing. He has a broken arm, y'know. The only thing I can do for the pain is give him heroin."

"Heroin?" Chloe shouted. "He's been trying to stay away from that stuff and you're giving it to him again?"

For that moment, Chloe had forgotten her bluntness when she was upset and shocked by a stinging blow of Lizzie's hand across her right cheek. It throbbed only a little and she had been certain it would be worse along with the injury above her eye once the drug began to wear off.

"If you keep misbehaving," Lizzie began, "I'll give you more morphine to keep you quiet."

"You can't do this," said Chloe, slurring her words. "CTU will know I'm missing and they'll find us."

"I'm not worried about that," Lizzie replied calmly. "Get some rest," she added, rounding the sofa and walking back to the door. "I know you're still tired from the morphine."

When Lizzie left the attic, Chloe had been afraid to rest. She wondered why Lizzie seemed so calm. What was she up to? Or had she planned on killing them? Mentally Chloe battled to stay awake but again, the morphine had won, shutting her eyes until she fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

Lizzie, before checking on Jack, had gone back to the living room. She slumped down on to the sofa, threw her hands against her ears and squeezed them to quiet the cacophony of voices battering her mind. Rocking forward and backward, Lizzie whimpered and longed to be free of the memories that haunted her without reprieve…

_Footsteps thundered toward the bedroom door of a house in Long Island, and when it was pushed open, a nine year-old Elizabeth gasped and jumped away from her brother who had been beside her on the bed. Their father stood in the doorway. He didn't have to say anything. His stone face and silence had done enough to terrify them. And when he spoke, his eyes were dark, menacing, frightening them even more. Lizzie followed his eyes down to the top of her unbuttoned nightgown. _

"_Daddy," she said, barely audible._

"_What's going on here?" he barked. Ted Dawson stormed toward Lizzie, grabbed her by the hair and shoved her down on to the floor. _

"_Dad, no!" Mike pleaded, as if that would stop his father from leeching his hands around his neck and flung him against the wall. _

"_I tried being nice, got you a dog, and I catch you again. Now the dog has got to go."_

_When he marched out of the room, Lizzie and Mike ran to the window. They waited, horrified at what he was going to do to their beloved dog. Lizzie's eyes widened with fear and helplessness at the rifle her father gripped in his hand. _

"_Daddy, no!" she cried. _

_He continued on. No mercy._

"_Daddeeeeeee!"_

_A shot roared through her ears. It hadn't fazed him, what he had done. _

_No remorse._

_Lizzie cried, "Noooooo!"_

Her eyes snapped open. Lizzie continued to scream, even when realizing she was back to the present. Her eyes darted frightfully around the room. The voices ceased. Slowly she peeled quivering hands away from her ears. Lizzie's chest rose and fell in a frenetic rhythm. Hot sweat dotted her forehead. Suddenly, as if stepping out of who she was—the frightened woman tortured from her past, Lizzie straightened. The frigid, bitter expression returned. Robotically, Lizzie stood from the sofa and went upstairs to the attic.

"Get up!"

Chloe never expected to be startled out of her sleep, grabbed by her hair and hoisted onto her feet.

"Lizzie, please," said a frazzled Chloe.

"Shut up!"

Chloe found herself pushed out of the attic and downstairs to the cellar door. Lizzie quickly unlocked the cuffs from around Chloe's wrists. She had a chance to defend herself and help Jack but still found herself groggy from the morphine. All she could do was watch helplessly as Lizzie cuffed her hands onto the door handle. Dawson then knelt beside Chloe, whispering in her ear…

"Do you love Jack?"

Furious, Chloe ignored the question.

Lizzie inched her lips closer to Chloe's ear, so close that O'Brian felt her breath that smelled foul, like someone had just eaten something rotten; something…dead. "Do you really believe he loves you? Chloe, Jack is lying. I thought it would be better if I told you the truth—he wants to be with me."

"Shut up!"

Lizzie grasped O'Brian's chin and yanked her face around to meet her own. "I know you don't believe me, but after what you'll hear, you'll come to your senses." Lizzie grinned, the same lopsided grin that Mike taunted her with before he would do something to hurt her. Lizzie began to unbutton her blouse and stopped, showing Chloe a tad of cleavage.

"What are you doing?" Chloe wondered.

Lizzie stood and teasingly refused to answer. Shestepped around Chloe and slipped through the open door. O'Brian peeked in through the tiny crack of the door and watched as Lizzie took off her blouse and straddled a conscious Jack. She forced him into her embrace, and from what Chloe could see Lizzie kissed him hard. O'Brian had had enough, turning away and slumping against the door. Now it had been clear as to why Lizzie handcuffed her there. She wished to escape the torture of hearing Lizzie's moans. And though she despised the morphine that now lost its effect, at least it would shut out what she had been forced to hear. Chloe squeezed her eyes and let the hot tears stream down her cheeks.

It had gone on for what seemed like an hour, maybe longer. By that time, Chloe was disoriented again, not from the morphine, but from what she had to endure ever since Mike abused her; tried to kill her. And now his sister abused her. She trembled and seething at the horrid madness. Usually it happened to women, though there were cases of it happening to men—rape. She never thought it would happen to someone she loved…to Jack. Chloe shook herself out of hopelessness and despair. She had to do something.

Lizzie slipped through the door. After closing it, she knelt in front of Chloe and pressing the barrel of a gun against her head. "Now do you believe me?" she said in a sardonic, raspy voice.

Chloe recognized the gun…it belonged to Jack. She pursed her lips and stared bitterly hard into Lizzie's eyes. Dawson smirked, ignoring Chloe's hatred for her. "Since you're awake, I know you'll try to escape when I take the cuffs off. Don't do it. Just behave and everything will be okay." Lizzie dug inside the back pocket of her jeans and took out the keys that dangled on a heart chain. Tucked inside the brass heart was a picture of two children. While keeping the gun aimed steady at Chloe's head in one hand, with the other she inserted one the keys into the lock. The cuffs temporarily released their grip around Chloe's wrists.

"Hands behind your back." And when Chloe reluctantly obeyed, Lizzie wasted no time, jerking the chain from around the handle and snapping the cuffs back onto Chloe's wrists. Shepulled her from off the floor and led O'Brian back inside the dim-lit attic.

Chloe found herself knocked down onto the couch again. She recalled Lizzie's key chain and surmised who the children were, though Chloe didn't understand why she was interested in asking about it. "The picture on your key chain…it's you and Mike," she said as a bold statement rather than a question.

Standing above Chloe, Lizzie answered, "Yeah, it's me and Mike." For a moment, it seemed Dawson needed to say something or even cry. Instead, her face hardened as if it had been a sin to show any kind of weakness. She stormed away and Chloe blurted…

"I can't sleep."

Lizzie turned, heading back to the couch. "What?"

"Please," Chloe said, "I'll behave."

Lizzie sat beside her and brushed thin fingers along Chloe's cheek. "You want more morphine?"

Chloe nodded.

"Okay," she replied, smiling. "I'll get it for you."

Lizzie headed for the door, eyeing O'Brian carefully and when she had gone, Chloe quickly erased the pleading expression from off her face. It morphed back to anger while she waited for Lizzie to come back. And when you're waiting like Chloe was doing at the moment, your mind cannot help but race from one thought to another. Jack. She cringed at what Lizzie had done, getting him hooked onto heroin again, forcing sex on him. If only she had Jack's gun.

It hadn't been long. Lizzie returned with the leather case and set it down onto the coffee table. Chloe pretended again, pleading and desperate to sleep. She watched as Lizzie opened the case and reached inside for one of the needles. Holding it up to the light, Dawson made sure it was full and before she had the chance to give O'Brian the morphine, Chloe mustered all her strength and adrenaline rushing angrily into her legs. With one swift kick she sent a stunned Lizzie tumbling over the table and hitting her head on its edge. The needle lay on the wooden floor along with the rest of the contents…and Jack's gun. Again, Chloe struggled, pushing herself up from the sofa and collapsing onto her knees. Her hands stretched for the needle, in which she managed to grasp.

A dazed Lizzie crawled toward the gun. Chloe knew this was her only chance. Quickly, she slid backwards and just as Lizzie's hand neared the gun, Chloe jabbed the needle into her ankle. Lizzie cried out from the sudden sting and though she tried to grab the gun, she was now rendered helpless by the morphine and fell onto her onto her side.

Chloe slid closer until stopping near the back pocket of Lizzie's jeans. The keys, they were inside. She strained her arm muscles so hard that when pulling them, she screamed from the pain. Despite it, she continued to dig her hands into the left pocket. Finding the keys she snatched them out and there had been no time to even breathe a sigh of relief. Chloe had to be quick once more, for she did not know whether the dose of morphine would be enough to keep her down, especially someone like Lizzie.

"What are you doing?" she heard Dawson mutter groggily.

Again, Chloe strained her sore arms and wincing as she inserted one of the keys into the lock.

"_Please let it be the right one."_

The cuffs clicked open. She tossed them off, snatched the gun and jumped unsteadily onto her feet. Chloe stopped for a second, looking back at Lizzie grasping the table to stand up but with every attempt, she collapsed back onto the floor. O'Brian knew she had better hurry and raced out of the attic.

* * *

Jack drifted in and out of consciousness. He wasn't given much to eat; spoon fed chicken soup that had provided only a little energy. The pain started throbbing in his arm again. He desired more heroin and at the same time, wanting desperately to escape what had been like a dungeon in hell than a cellar. He wondered when Lizzie would come back to harass him, beat him, force his lips into hers. When kissing her, it was like tasting something rotten. He couldn't figure it out and felt terribly sick to his stomach each time they kissed, and even when he thought about it now. His eyes skirted nervously to the door creaking open and to his surprise, he heard…

"Jack!"

"Chloe?" he said in a weak, guttural tone; relieved to see her unharmed and running toward him. Jack also noticed she had the keys and his gun. "You're okay," he added with a smile that quickly turned to a grimace when the pain assaulted him again. "What happened to Lizzie?"

Chloe knelt in back of him. Flipping through each key, she picked one. "I gave her a shot of morphine."

Jack didn't mean to answer with only a shocked expression, as if he doubted her ability to get out of a tough situation. Chloe caught his look. Instead of getting upset, she simply smiled but then it vanished when O'Brian thought she had the right key.

"We're getting out of here, Jack," she said, determined while fumbling with the keys and picking another one.

"Be careful," Jack muttered. "My right arm is broken."

Chloe turned the key and let out a relieved sigh when the cuffs opened. Carefully, she removed them from around his wrists. Jack grunted and winced again when he gently lifted his injured arm and laid it upon his lap. Chloe scurried to the front of him. Kneeling again, she used another key to unlock the chained cuffs around his ankles.

"Chloe?" he said, panting weakly.

"Yes, Jack?" she replied and concentrating hard on unlocking the cuffs.

"I love you."

Tears stung her eyes and not wanting to cry at the moment, she strained them back. "I love you, too."

"I mean it," he said, hoping to convince her after what happened between him and Lizzie. He had known Chloe was handcuffed to the open door. Lizzie whispered it to him in his ear.

Chloe looked up at his face damp with sweat. "I know you do," she answered quickly, awkwardly and busied herself with the cuffs until finally theyopened. She yanked them off along with the chains. Tucking the gun and key chain inside the pocket of her cardigan sweater, she circled her arms around Jack's waist and began to lift him from the chair…

"Put him down!"

Startled by the raspy voice in the distance, she peeked over her shoulder to see Lizzie stumbling down the steps with another gun at her side. O'Brian turned, looking into Jack's eyes and though Chloe was frightened, he knew she had no choice but to ease the gun out of her pocket while lowering him back onto the chair. Bauer nodded, signaling her to do what needed to be done. Chloe spun around and aimed the gun unsteadily at Lizzie's forehead. She thought that would stop Dawson. The woman had to be intimidated by something. Instead she continued, swaying somewhat but still determined in approaching Chloe.

"You can't kill me," Lizzie stated with such assurance that Chloe questioned if she had been right. She chuckled and shook her head. "You were afraid of my brother when I told him what to do. He had his fun and you did nothing until Jack came along." They stood a few feet apart. "Chloe, you can't."

And when O'Brian saw Lizzie raise her gun, she swiftly fired a bullet piercing deep into Lizzie's shoulder. The impact shoved her backward and she fell with a thud onto the floor. A shocked Dawson slid back against the stairs. The left side of her blouse was now a deeper shade of scarlet from the blood. Pale fingers of her uninjured arm crawled toward the gun. Chloe froze, shivering.

"Chloe," Jack shouted. "Again, you have to do it!"

Suddenly, O'Brian saw Mike lay there laughing as if she was nothing, worthless…just an odd computer geek. The bathroom…he continuously stabbed her despite her pleading cries; something Chloe tried hard to deny had twisted her features with bitterness and hate. She fired another bullet tearing through flesh of Lizzie's chest. Then came another shot and another and another until…Chloe froze again. It hadn't fully registered in her mind. She stared at the body sprawled on the floor. A bloody hole on Lizzie's forehead and other blood soaked wounds on numerous parts of her body. And then Chloe allowed her mind to accept it…she killed Lizzie. O'Brian dropped the gun, sunk onto her knees and cradled her face into shaky hands. She didn't cry, but only shivered from the shock of everything that had transpired since Friday night.

"Chloe?"

She hadn't responded to Jack immediately but when he left the chair, crawled toward her and placed his left hand on her shoulder, Chloe turned to him andcaved into his embrace.He held her tightly inside the cellar beneath the dangling light bulb.

* * *

Ambulance doors slammed shut. Chloe sat beside Jack as he lay on the stretcher. She held his hand and opening the fingers of her own, she stared at Lizzie's key chain on her palm. Brother and sister. O'Brian studied the bright smiles on their faces. They seemed so happy then.

"_What happened?"_ she thought to herself and slowly twined her fingers over the picture.

Two months since the Lizzie incident. Chloe thought that had been enough time for her and Jack to recuperate after that ordeal. Something was wrong. Every time she'd call him, he avoided her. He wasn't himself and that alarmed her greatly. Usually she would worry if there had been something he didn't want her to know…Audrey perhaps? No, it was definitely something else and not Audrey. She waited until the weekend and then Chloe headed back to D.C. He had no idea she was there, that's how she wanted it to be. Pounding her fist on the door of his house in the rain, she stopped when he jerked it open.

Surprised to see Chloe standing in front of him in a khaki trench coat, he said, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because you don't answer my calls. And when you do, you cut me off. What's going on, Jack? And you look like hell!"

Jack had known she was right. Heller, Audrey and other people noticed his erratic behavior and he often looked exhausted. Even now, one would think he was up all night drinking and shuffling around the house in a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants. Everyone assumed it was because of the ordeal, at least that's what he wanted them to think.

"Are you going to let me in? It's pouring out here."

He opened the door wider, saying nothing and evidently irritated as she marched into his home. Chloe halted inside the small foyer and as she spun around, her damp hair swung along with her sudden movement. "Okay, we need to talk."

An exasperated sigh rolled from his lips. He wasn't in the mood to talk about anything.

Chloe went on despite his stubbornness. "I know what's going on, Jack."

"You do?" he said defensively.

O'Brian closed the space between them and in her usual blunt way, she said, "You've been avoiding me because of the heroin. I thought we were going to be honest with each other?"

Jack smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Lizzie…she got you hooked again. Jack, I'm not an idiot."

"Chloe, please leave."

"Why? Because I'm concerned about what happened when Lizzie kidnapped us? I know what she did to you was horrible and you're angry--,"

"Go! I want you to leave…now!"

She huffed and marched back to the door, but Chloe hesitated before opening it and laid her forehead against the door. Shutting her eyes, she said, "I keep seeing Mike's face. I hear his voice; that day in the bathroom. And now I can't stop thinking about Lizzie. I hated what she forced you to do but that doesn't change how I feel. Maybe you think it does but…I love you, Jack. Please, don't shut me out."

An awkward silence followed what she said. Chloe thought Jack seriously wanted her to leave until feeling his fingers lightly touch her hand. She turned and stared into his eyes swollen with tears. He then cupped her face in his hands.

"Chloe," Jack mumbled in a trembling voice. He couldn't hold it in any longer and the next words that spilled out were, "I love you."

There was no hesitation. O'Brian needed to feel his arms around her. She let him cry, and she cried with him. And at that moment neither one of them had noticed something…

The rain stopped.

**End**


End file.
